British Gems for a joyful weekend escape from Travel Guru and #TROYGirl Suzy Small

We’re often asked for our own favourite hidden gem for couples, and for us, combining nature and great food is always a winning combination. Linthwaite House - set amid the spectacular beauty of the Lake District – comes out on top for both. Firstly, it’s located on the shores of Windermere in Bowness, atop a hill overlooking the lake, making itself the perfect base from which to explore your serenely scenic surroundings. The incredibly diverse flora and fauna of this UNESCO World Heritage Site means you’ll encounter some stunning wildlife rarely seen on other parts of our shores; Red Deer, the Peregrine falcon and Britain’s only nesting pairs of Golden Eagles all reside here. But it’s the food you’ll really write home about. Simon Rogan’s informal Henrock restaurant opened here two years ago and was awarded a Michelin Plate just over a year after opening. Rogan (of Roganic and nearby L’Enclume fame) showcases natural, seasonal ingredients picked from the restaurant’s own farm in the Cartmell valley, all enjoyed in a relaxed setting overlooking Linthwaite’s immaculately landscaped gardens. Spend your days playing croquet on the front lawn or don a pair of the hotel’s Hunter wellies to explore their 14 acres of private grounds. For the more intrepid ramblers, you can also scale nearby Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain, booking into one of their three dog-friendly rooms on your return with Fido. On sunnier days, head out on the hotel bicycles, spend a day lazing about on a row boat on their private tarn or go paddle boarding on the lake. This is how one should discover the Lake District.

MENSOS PERK: A free TROY Linen Shirt and a half-bottle of Exton Park English sparkling wine when booking direct through Mensos Concierge

Dubbed Scotland’s very own ‘Riviera in the Highlands’, if you’re a fan of the great outdoors then you’re sure to be a fan of Gleneagles. In fact, you’ll find everything your country-pursuiting-heart desires at this preposterously glorious estate. Set in 850 splendid acres beneath the Ochil Hills in the stunning Perthshire countryside, this is the ULTIMATE Scottish playground. But don’t be fooled into assuming this remote-sounding hideaway is out of reach. It’s the only hotel in the UK with its own train station, meaning you can whizz up in 5.5 hours from London, direct to their front door (it’s also a mere hour from Edinburgh airport). Suddenly those 7+ hour car rides to Cornwall this year look distinctly less appealing. Fill your days with an endless array of onsite activities; well, not entirely endless but a jaw-dropping fifty in total. Ranging from the traditional horse riding, golf, fishing and shooting to the more exotic falconry, gundog training, off road driving (with a junior programme for the kids to also have a go) and the unique activity of ferret racing, Gleneagles provides a wonderland of experiences. It’s a huge estate but one that doesn’t disappoint, boasting 11 bars and restaurants, a Kids Club and ice cream trucks in the summer months, a retail arcade that exclusively stocks Shrimps and The Vampire’s Wife, four pools and a spa that offers their own oils and blends but also is partner to Tata Harper and Dr. Barbara Sturm. Also joining the spa line-up is leading naturopath and nutritionist, Rosemary Ferguson, who has created new menus for the Spa and Garden Cafés and will host specially curated retreats later this year and next. Talk about a staycation.

MENSOS PERK:  A free TROY Linen Shirt, a guaranteed room upgrade and a bottle of champagne (valid on all stays 3rd November 2021 – 31st March 2022 with the exception of their Festive period 20 Dec – 1 Jan) when booked through Mensos Conceirge

Finding 240 acres of picturesque Berkshire parkland within an hour’s drive of Central London is a secret getaway we can get on board with. Add to that, a super-slick hotel and luxurious estate that welcomes kids of all ages, makes it an absolute gamechanger. It provides all the perks of a country retreat without the long slog to get there (i.e. significantly less travel time listening to Peppa Pig in the car). Spend relaxing days exploring the rolling fields and woodland; enjoy picnics in the wildflower meadow and al fresco dining on the sun-soaked terraces; and check-in to secluded open-plan stable suites transformed from the estate’s original stables and private stand-alone cottages. Chef Adam Smith uses produce from the estate grounds in their Michelin-starred restaurant to add that perfect seasonal touch to exquisite dishes. And their minimalistic ultra-sleek spa boasts a new menu of bespoke body and facial treatments and a swimming pool with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the grounds. But it’s their Kids Club with its seven playrooms, teen movie den and pony parties for horse-mad kids that really set it apart. Described as a “paradise for children of all ages”, expect some very happy children (and adults) by the end of your stay. Those fond of equestrian pursuits can take part in riding lessons or polo enthusiasts of all levels can experience the game on the hotel’s own polo fields which are managed by Guards Polo Club (a programme of Polo matches on the hotel’s two professional polo fields runs throughout the summer months). Add a range of outdoor wellness activities; wellness walks, yoga, family fit and qi gong and you have a hotel that entertains multi generation families for weeks on end.

MENSOS PERK: A free TROY Linen Shirt, a bottle of wine chosen by the hotel’s sommelier and a room upgrade (subject to availability at the time of booking) when booking direct through Mensos Concierge

We’re never quite sure how to describe Thyme to those who haven’t been before. It’s a one-of-a-kind masterpiece from founder Caryn Hibbert who transformed her Cotswold manor into a ‘Village within a Village’ with a passion for the land, the seasons and conservation. But it’s the calm serenity and style of the whole estate that makes it so impossibly hard for us to portray the magic of this place in words (the name ‘Thyme’ was chosen not only for the herb link but also to acknowledge the ‘time’ it takes to slow down and appreciate nature). Originally centred around their cookery school, the property has organically grown over the last decade to now comprise 31 bedrooms, their Swan pub, the Baa Bar (unsurprisingly you may see a nod to sheep here), Meadow Spa and Ox Barn Restaurant. Expect to never want, or need, to leave - they’ve thought of everything; the cookery classes that start off in their kitchen garden (before moving inside to their luxurious state-of-the-art school) or their 56-seater restaurant run by ex-Quo Vadis chef Charlie Hibbert would be reason enough to visit. But all the added extras here are done with a unique twist that sets it apart from its counterparts. Their Meadow Spa has a heated, pure water swimming pool with the addition of a Botanical Bothy, designed with baths for herbal soaks and the sound of waterfalls from a nearby flowing fossil water trough. And then they have the Swan, an utterly charming pub across the road which is owned by Thyme, meaning the staff in there likely saw and served you earlier in the hotel giving it that home-away-from-home feel where everybody really does ‘know your name’. Borrow everything from bikes to books and settle into country living at its best.

MENSOS PERK: A free TROY Linen Shirt, a trug of Thyme’s edible home goodies and 10% off Thyme’s own beauty, homewear and womanswear brand Bertioli when booking direct through Mensos Concierge

Aside from your complimentary TROY Linen Shirt which you will receive on arrival of your stay booked through Mensos Conceirge. Suzy has been in the travel business for 17+ years, so we can think of no one better qualified to share with us their 'Weekend Essentials'.

The Wax Parka in Black

To book your next escape and secure the amazing Mensos Perks and TROY linen shirt, available exclusively for TROY customers, contact Suzy and her team Mensos Concierge or email directly on info@mensosconcierge.co.uk 

Suzy Small wears her TROY  Wax Parka in Black

It has been a crazy year, not least for the travel industry, and with many of us currently suffering from a bad case of wanderlust, these incredible perks and offers from Suzy and the Mensos team are rather tricky to resist.